Determination. That’s what I saw in Taylor Hammer’s face about a minute and a half into the Jimmies round 2 game vs. Davenport down at nationals in Sioux City. Hammer, undeterred by Davenport center Mallory Sewell’s size advantage, seemingly came out of nowhere and pulled down a big offensive board, then proceeded to take it straight to the hoop for two points. I happened to be at that end of the court and had a great look at it. It was just one play out of hundreds in the game, yet it set the tone.

Well friends, it’s that time of year again. It’s time for me to make my best pitch to you, the sports fans of Jamestown, to step up, pack a bag, and get on down to Sioux City, Iowa to support the Jimmie women at the NAIA Division II women’s national basketball tournament.

The date was April 27, 2003. I was sitting at a truck stop near Pittsburgh listening to sports talk on my radio. It was the second day of the NFL draft and the Steelers faithful were not happy. But before I describe what was lighting up the phone lines that spring day, I should explain what I, a guy that bleeds New York Giants blue, was doing paying so much attention to the Steelers’ draft. By 2003, I had resided in Pennsylvania for about a decade and a half. A football fan quickly learns the landscape of the Keystone State ...

In Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win over Air Force, UND not only found a way to win a game it probably shouldn’t have, but also found a way to make it extremely exciting in the process. After two periods of less than inspired hockey, North Dakota found itself behind 2-0 against a 2-4 team out of the Atlantic Hockey Conference. Atlantic Hockey is like the minor leagues of Division I hockey, and losing to a team from that conference, at home, would have been a crushing loss. UND came out for period three in desperation mode.

Friends, let’s get one thing straight. Three points out of a possible four against a top ranked team is a good thing. Real good. I know many UND fans could just about taste that sweep as time was running down in the third period on Saturday, and many probably went to sleep somewhat disappointed. Obviously, allowing a game tying goal in the final minute and settling for a 2-2 tie isn’t an optimal way to end the weekend. But it’s OK.

Well friends, the fall season has arrived, and to a hockey fan, that can only mean one thing ... the first puck drop cannot be far off, and we need to be prepared for another season of UND hockey. To that end, let's take a look at UND's new recruits, the preseason polls, and a few other bits of information related to the upcoming season. New recruits Six new faces will join UND's storied program this season, and it looks to be a pretty impressive bunch. Here's the group, from front to back. Nick Schmaltz: F, Verona, Wisconsin.

Readers who caught my column back in early May know I was pretty jazzed up about the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In fact, I was well on my way towards calling this playoff season one of the best in recent memory even before my beloved New York Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. The last time the Rangers reached the finals was 1994, and I do remember it like it was yesterday. The series, against the Vancouver Canucks, took seven games to decide. On the day of game seven, I found myself working in a suburb of our nation’s capital.

I know it’s early in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the second round just starting to get cranked up. But round one was so good, so dramatic, I believe it’s worthy of a quick re-cap. What exactly made round one so special this season?